We got letter not query from FIFA –NFF

August 2, 2013 : Pius Ayinor

NFF president Aminu Maigari | credits: File copy

The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Mr. Musa Amadu has said that the Federation only got “a routine letter” from the international football governing body FIFA rather than a query.

Amadu said that the NFF was surprised that a letter asking for current position of things with the league would be interpreted as query or threat from Switzerland where FIFA has its headquarters.

“We are responding to the letter but we all know that no matter how insignificant a petition may be from a country, the basic thing FIFA does is to ask for state of affairs from the country’s FA and that is exactly what has been done in this instance,” Amadu said.

In the letter sent to the NFF Abuja office on Tuesday, FIFA asked the NFF to furnish it with details of the league and the company registered to run the league in Nigeria.

The letter, dated July 30, and signed by its Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, was in reaction to a petition by Rumson Baribote, alleging irregularities in the running of football in the country by the NFF leadership.

The petition, dated July 19, alleged that the NFF fraudulently registered a private company (League Management Company) to run the Nigerian football league as against FIFA, CAF, NFF and NPL statutes.

Baribote wrote in his petition, “The above mentioned name (NFF) has virtually hijacked our functions as the chairman and that of the elected board members of the Nigerian premier league and given same to a company of his through the instrumentality of the government on Nigeria corporate affairs commission.”

FIFA then asked Amadu for explanation on the alleged illegality by the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari.

FIFA, in the letter, under the headline “Request for a report on the current situation” wrote, “Dear General Secretary, We refer to the attached letter dated 19 July 2013. The author of the letter alleges that several actions taken by the NFF Executive Committee are inconsistent with the NFF Status.

“In order for our office to get a clear picture of the current situation, we would like to kindly request you to provide us with a report. In particular, this report should include a description of any actions that have been taken by the NFF in relation to and affecting the Nigeria Premier League and/or its officers, as well as details of any related action filed in an ordinary court. We thank you in advance and look forward to receiving your report.”

Baribote was the Chairman of the league board before he was removed from office last year.

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